


The Face of true Despair

by CrazyNekoChan



Series: Soudam Week Winter 2018 [4]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different Mastermind (Dangan Ronpa), Hostage Situations, M/M, Threats of Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-23 00:11:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17069840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyNekoChan/pseuds/CrazyNekoChan
Summary: It was the last chance for them all to end the killing game once and for all. They all did their best to solve all the mysteries given to them by Monokuma.However Kazuichi can't believe what he heard as the truth is revealed.Day 4 of theSoudam WeekPrompt:Mastermind| Love/Hate | Ice Skating/Sledding





	The Face of true Despair

**Author's Note:**

> This one was so hard to decide on but in the end I decided to go with one of my 2 Mastermind AUs and I have to say that I'm not really happy with it, since it seems so “off topic” for a Soudam Week entry...
> 
> Changes from the canon:  
> \- This doesn't play within the simulation  
> \- None of the Remnants of Despair destroyed their bodies, because it would take too much time to find an explanation for this  
> \- Hiyoko never had a growth spurt or had one before going to Hope's Peak  
> \- Izuru made sure that he looks like he did as Hajime  
> \- Chiaki was a real person and was the only one to not fall into despair. She's still 'the traitor' who travelled with them onto the island, before the Mastermind took over (who's the only who knows that she's the traitor). She had no idea who the Mastermind is and was instructed by Makoto and co. to not say a thing until they could reach the island, because they feared how the others and the hidden Mastermind would react if she told them all. Sadly they couldn't reach the island before she was accidentally killed by Nagito in his attempt to save her  
> \- Monomi was a robot with an AI installed inside of her  
> \- All the trails/murder cases played out like before, with only the slight change of the 3rd trial. The Despair Disease still was there, but it was developed with the help of literal brainwashing and neurotechnology, which was prepared in advanced by them all. Also Mikan's execution was more realistic
> 
> All the other changes will be explained within the story itself

The class trial was going on for what felt like hours now and the last survivors of class 77 hardly were able to make any progress with solving the mystery, and time was running out. Monokuma had given them a bargain that they had to solve every mystery revolving around their killing game, including who was the mastermind, why they were trapped on the island, who the Future Foundation was and why they all supposedly lost their memories. If they managed to solve every mystery they would be able to finally leave this nightmare of an island, however if they failed to solve everything the mastermind would kill them all on the spot.

Kazuichi felt a shiver run down his spine at seeing all the machine guns attached to the ceiling, which were pointing at them all and could activate at any second, killing them all in a storm of bullets and blood if they got anything wrong.

Hajime, Fuyuhiko, Akane, Sonia and himself were in a hurried discussion about all the possible topics that could lead them to the answers they needed to find, while Monokuma was watching them, laughing at their misery and despair. One topic changed into the next as they all compared the evidence they found in this weird ruin that was supposed to hold all the answers according to Monokuma. However no matter how much they discussed and argued, they weren't able to make sense of them all. There were so many mysteries and none of them even remotely made sense at the moment. Kazuichi was feeling desperate and frustrated, but he kept on going together with his friends.

 

After a while Monokuma had been getting bored of this discussion that just lead to nowhere. For the first moment all of them felt their breath grow ice cold and their hearts drop. Miss Sonia had cried in panic if their time had run out and if they were going to die now, while Kazuichi’s eyes were fixed on the deadly machines surrounding him and he felt fear and so much despair at the thought of what could happen now. He didn't want to die.

However Monokuma instead gave his signature laugh, enjoying the shock the students had and instead gave them all a hint. “Upupupu. How about you use your common sense for once and ask how this killing game was even possible? Seriously the youth of today always tries to simply get to their goal without enjoying the small things.”

At the first moment none of them really understood what that creepy bear even meant. They had been discussing why this despairing killing game came to happen the whole time. However then Hajime seemed to have understood the hint and Kazuichi couldn't thank his soul-friend enough. “Maybe we need to actually find out who would be even able to do all of this? Whoever the mastermind is would need the resources after all.” Kazuichi knew that if anyone of them could figure anything out it was Hajime. He had after all solved all the murder cases, from Teruteru killing Byakuya, all the way to Nagito's plan to kill them all and thus making Chiaki become a blackened and get executed.

Maybe there was still a chance.

 

From this point on the topic was centred on just who would've been able to even pull it off. Of course they all first thought that it had to be the Future Foundation. Because they were after all the ones to put them on this island in the first place and were at least a powerful enough cooperation to own a private island, so it wasn't out of question that they were also the ones to construct the killing game. It had to be them!

However Hajime did point out that it made no sense if they were also trying to apparently get them off the island again and why Chiaki, a spy from the Future Foundation, had tried so hard to stop the killing game if she apparently was part of them. It just didn't fit, to which Kazuichi and the rest had to agree to.

So they went through all the other possible people who may have had the power to construct this all. However this sounded almost preposterous to Kazuichi, if he was honest.

He could maybe see how Fuyuhiko might be able to do it, since he was the head of the biggest yakuza group after all, however it did not explain everything that had happened with Peko and him during he second trial and how Fuyuhiko had almost died at her execution in his desperate attempt to save her from her death.

Byakuya was also unlikely. Even with all the power and money at his disposal as the heir of the Togami Cooperation, he was dead after all and that already since the first trial. Either he was able to fake being skewered by Teruteru even during Mikan's examination, who had no reason to lie about him being dead at that point, or he couldn't be the mastermind. Dead people weren't exactly able to control things like a killing game.

That Miss Sonia could also be behind it all was just preposterous. There was no way in Kazuichi’s mind that someone as sweet and innocent as Miss Sonia could be the mastermind behind this all. There was no way, it was almost ridiculous. No matter if she had the power to do it, due to being the future ruler of a whole kingdom and had a lot of military power and knowledge, while having a fascination with serial killers. There was no way that she could ever do something so twisted.

 

In the end they went through all the possible people who had the power to construct everything and make them participate in the killing game, who were all able to prove themselves to be innocent. It was hopeless.

At least until realisation hit Hajime and his eyes filled with horror.

“It has to be you.”

 

***

 

“What?” Kazuichi must have misheard the other. “Why are you looking at me?” he asked with shock, what then turned into pure horror, “Are you really thinking I did all of this?! Are you nuts?”

“That's what I'm also wondering.” Fuyuhiko added, bless his soul. At least one of his friends didn't think Kazuichi did it. “There is no way that Kazuichi would be able to make a killing game. He's the biggest wimp of us all.”

“Normally I would deny being a wimp, but yeah, Fuyuhiko is right!” Kazuichi defended himself against this stupid accusation, “There is no way that I would organise a killing game. How the fuck would I even do that?” Hajime must've lost his mind. There was no chance that Kazuichi would be able to organise something so complex!

“That is one of the reasons why it has to be him.” Hajime then said, making everyone confused and Kazuichi really began to question the other's sanity. Before anyone could question his crazy logic, he then began explaining, “This may sound awful now, but did none of you ever question why someone like Kazuichi, who was probably the easiest target of us all, would be able to survive this long?”

“What the fuck?!” Kazuichi screamed, “Do ya want me dead now or what?! I thought you were my Soul-friend!” This had to be a bad joke; an absolute awful joke and Kazuichi didn't find it funny.

Luckily none of his friends did either, one of them being Sonia, “Hajime, what an awful thing to say! Kazuichi was just as much in danger of dying as all of us were.” and Akane who agreed with her, “Yeah, he may be a wimp, but that is no reason to wonder why he's still alive.”

The last to comment was Fuyuhiko, who also couldn't believe what Hajime had said. “I get what you mean, he was an easy target with being so weak, but that's just with him having luck like the rest of us that none one tried to kill us. Also there is no way that he could construct this all.”

Nodding at what his friends said, Kazuichi then turned towards Hajime the traitor. “Ya could've said it nicer, but yeah. I can't organise all of this, there is no way-”

“Yes there is and it shows that only you can be the one to be behind this all.” Hajime interrupted him, trying to prove his ridiculous claim.

Getting fed up with the other's claims, Kazuichi pointed accusingly at him while tears already formed in his eyes, “Well yeah? Then prove it! I bet ya can't!”

All eyes were now on Hajime, all doubting him. Yet he didn't back off. “We already went through all the people who could organise this killing game, who all were able to prove that they weren't the culprits. So tell me Kazuichi, who else would've been able to not only tamper with all the planes and remove their engines, but also build all the execution machines than the Ultimate Mechanic?” Suddenly the room fell silent as all eyes were on Kazuichi, while Hajime continued talking to prove his shocking claim, “As I said it was already odd that Kazuichi was so easily able to avoid any harm, but what is even weirder is that over the whole time Kazuichi only used his talent twice. I never questioned it before, but now that I think about it, it's odd that there had been so many chances for him to build stuff that could help us escape but he never did. He could've easily used all the stuff from Electric Avenue or even take apart the carnival rides from the fourth island, which were all using motors to run.” Everyone stared at Hajime, before their eyes slowly turned towards the mechanic in horror, while the former continued talking with a sad voice, “Please tell me that I'm wrong Kazuichi.”

Before Kazuichi could even say anything, the others began talking. “Please Kazuichi. Tell us that you just never realised that you could use all the technology here.” Miss Sonia begged.

“Yes. None of us ever thought about it, so just fucking tell us that it's not you.” Fuyuhiko added, trying to help his friend.

 

Kazuichi looked at all of his friends, who were trying so desperately to believe him. It was heart-warming and almost made him tear up.

However he couldn't help the big grin that formed on his face and he had to laugh at how ridiculous this all was. “Well what can I even say now? You're right. I did it all. I removed all the engines from the planes and I was the one to build all the weapons and most importantly build all the killing machines for the executions.” He couldn't stop laughing at their shocked faces. The despair in their eyes at what he had just revealed to them was just too beautiful. “I can't fucking believe how long it took you all to realise something so obvious. None of you creeps even considered for a second that I, the fucking _Ultimate Mechanic_ , could be the only one to construct all these beautiful killing machines, all because I'm such a 'scaredy-cat' and such a 'wimp' like you always like to call me. Just how fucking stupid are you?”

All these bloody idiots looked so desperate and tried so hard to not believe it, “Please tell me that you are lying.” Sonia begged with tears in her eyes, “There is no way that you could construct such awful machines.”

“Of course I can.” he replied and glared at her for doubting his skills, “I already build all the machines for the last killing game, so what makes you think that I wouldn't be able to do it again?”

“What?!” the others shouted in union, all getting more shocked at the minute and they didn't solve half of the mysteries yet. It made Kazuichi shiver with excitement at how much more despair he could make them all feel. He could hardly wait!

“You're really are fucking stupid. It should've been really obvious after I already told ya all that I'm the only one able to do it.” he grinned with pride, “Junko Enoshima, you know, the chick who did all this before us and all, had asked me to build her all the execution machines for her killing game with her classmates. So doing them here again was easy.”

“You fucker! I'm going to kill you!” Fuyuhiko shouted and tried to run towards the Ultimate Despair. However before he could even take a step, one of the guns fired and hardly missed him, making him stop in his tracks.

“I wouldn't do that.” Kazuichi laughed at him like a mad man, “Ya still need to solve all the other mysteries or this trial would only be half the fun.”

At this Akane growled like some feral dog, “Why do we need to wait? We already know that you organised this, so let's beat him up!”

“If ya wanna end up dead on the floor with holes in your body before you can even reach me, sure come on.” he challenged her, knowing fully well that neither of them would be able to harm him with all the guns pointing at them that would go off as soon as one of them left their podium. “And who the hell said anything about me organising this killing game?”

 

Everyone was silent, all not knowing what to do now, when they realised that they were in Kazuichi’s trap. All except of one. Hajime stared at Kazuichi with confusion and determination as he tried so desperately to save them all by solving this case. “You said it.”

“No, I didn't and I would've expected better from my Soul-friend.” Kazuichi replied with a mocking voice, “I never organised this game. I only constructed the weapons and machines like I was instructed to do by my master.”

Again confusion filled the room and it was so much fun to watch how they all fell deeper into the pits of despair with every word he said. Fuyuhiko was then the first to actually formulate a reaction, “Your master? Who the fuck is that now?”

Grinning at the others stupidity, the despair replied, “Not telling. You have to find it out after all. You're already lucky that I said so much.”

With this a discussing again began between them all, and Kazuichi enjoyed every moment of it. It was like looking at a bunch of filthy lab rats running around a cage filled with water as they tried to solve a puzzle before drowning. For the beginning they all were so lost and didn't even know where to start, even going as far as threatening Kazuichi, who didn't care as the guns kept on pointing at his classmates.

After a bit of useless running in circles, Sonia tried to actually find possible people who could be Kazuichi’s master. “Could it be Junko? She was after all the one to not only make the world fall into despair according to that one file, but also the one to construct the first killing game, where you have build her all the killing machines as well.” she asked Kazuichi like this was some kind of quiz game.

“What? No, she's not my master.” Where did the princess even get this idea from? “I mean yeah, I build her all that stuff and all, but how the hell is some dead bitch supposed to give me orders?” She was nothing more than some rotten squashed goo now. He had to know, he saw what was left of her and it wasn't pretty.

“Then who is this master guy of yours?” Akane then asked, like Kazuichi would give her the answer just like that. If repeatedly asking him and even threatening to beat him up and kill him didn't help, asking yet again wasn't going to do the trick.

 

How quick they all were to fall back into that endless back and forth they had only moments ago, where they just sputtered useless stuff instead of actually thinking for once. However to Kazuichi’s amazement – though he guessed he shouldn't have been – Hajime was deep in thought as he tried to put together all the clues. Just like many times before, he had this expression like he was in a completely different world where only he existed and he could find the answer like it was some puzzle that would form a word if he was able to find the correct letters. His eyes went throughout the room as he scanned all the faces looking at each other. One face after the other, as he tried to figure out just who it could be. Kazuichi wondered if his Soul-friend, the one to solve every case before like some protagonist from some game, would be able to find out the true identity of Kazuichi’s master, the one who had given him every order. When Hajime's eyes then got stuck at one face and his eyes widened, Kazuichi was almost proud at his best friend.

“Wait... There is only one more person who behaved odd and didn't help us all escape when it was possible. But that can't be, it's impossible...” his eyes were so lost and so desperate as he didn't even trust his own conclusion any more. Kazuichi could hardly wait to see more of that empty stare, where no hope was left to shine.

Since everyone else also always trusted Hajime to solve everything, instead of actually thinking themselves for a second, they all turned to him, while Sonia asked, “Who is it, Hajime?”

It was obvious that Hajime had figured it out, since his eyes didn't move away. It made Kazuichi almost quiver with anticipation. “The one who comes to my mind is-”

“It is me.” a deep and dominating voice suddenly interrupted him, making everyone in the room fall silent and Kazuichi couldn't help the shiver run throughout his body.

 

Grinning as happily like never before, Kazuichi enjoyed – no loved – seeing all of his friends' faces turn pale as an imposing figure walked up towards the podiums and stopped next to Kazuichi, staring at all of these fuckers like they weren't worthy and just beyond disgusting.

“Gundham...” Hajime said with utter disbelieve, as he more or less finished his sentence and addressed the imposing man suddenly standing before them all as he had joined Kazuichi at his podium.

“I must congratulate you, Ordinary One. You were surprisingly fast in concluding that it was me that has not only ordered the Tamer of Automations to construct this cruel game, but that it was me who has organised it all.” Gundham said, yet despite his praise had an unreadable expression like he didn't really care about the other finding out the truth. Still seeming not to care about the shaken classmates, he then turned towards Kazuichi and gave a smile, “And I must also congratulate you, Pink Haired One. You have done excellent work with playing your assigned role.” At this he almost gently lifted the other's face and kissed him deeply, letting his tongue slide into Kazuichi’s willing mouth and exploring every inch, as all their stupid classmates gasped at what they saw. Not that Kazuichi cared, as he was melting into his master's touch and leaned more into their kiss.

However Sonia decided to speak up and make the lovers break apart. “Gundham?” she asked like she was still trying to confirm that the Ultimate Breeder was really standing there. She looked so pale that she seemed close to fainting on the spot.

“What the fuck is going on here?!” Fuyuhiko shouted way louder than it was necessary, “Why is Gundham here and why is he kissing Kazuichi?!”

Letting go of Kazuichi and only leaving his arm around his waist, while said man leaned against him, Gundham then turned towards Hajime, “Why do you not explain it, Ordinary One?”

“I have no idea what is going on.” he held his head like he had lost his grip on reality and Kazuichi guessed it could be just that. Though he then lowered his arms again and tried to somehow explain what he believed to be the case, sounding like he was talking more to himself than to his classmates. “However I had been thinking about other people that possibly behaved just as weird as Kazuichi did and then I realised that Nagito had been able to get bombs from the Octagon, which made me wonder why Gundham never used any of the bombs to break down one of the walls of the Fun House to let us escape and instead decided to kill someone. But you were killed right in front of us, so how is it possible that you're alive?!” he then stared at Gundham with disbelieve about him being alive. Kazuichi was surprised that the other was able to realise something so small, but in the end it was correct. Though it might have been more fun to let him struggle to prove Gundham being alive if he himself didn't even believe it. However thinking about it, he guessed that this was the reason why Gundham decided to reveal himself, since there was no way to prove it and it would all end too soon then.

Gundham stared at Hajime with ridicule and he was almost insulted, “Did you foolish fiends truly believe that my hellish warriors would ever harm me, the ruler of the Tanaka Empire? This had been all an act to deceive you all and give me an opportunity to hide within the shadows.” Again he turned towards Kazuichi and gently petted his hair, “Though I have to again praise you, my pet. You have done an excellent work on constructing my hidden armour to keep any possible damage to the utmost minimum. I will reward you for this later on.”

Leaning into the touch, Kazuichi purred, “Thank you, master.”

“Wait, you fuckers broke the rules then! You should've been executed like the rest for killing Nekomaru!” Fuyuhiko again shouted, almost rivalling Ibuki's loud voice and only being more aggressive. His voice then turned slightly more sour, but even more angry than before. “Peko didn't deserve to die, while you piece of shit tricked us all!”

Raising an eyebrow, Gundham stared the smaller man down, “I deserve no such thing, as I did not take any life that fateful morning. As such I do not deserve to receive any form of punishment for my actions.”

Agreeing with his master, Kazuichi nodded, “At no point did we break the rules.”

“But you killed Nekomaru, we all saw his dead body and you were the culprit! You even confessed to it!” Akane interjected, her eyes close to tears while her mouth was almost foaming like she had rabies.

Looking at the gymnast like she was a waste of his time, Gundham then replied, “I have no idea what form of delusion you have seen, however I have not seen any deceased mortal form, only a piece of useless junk, not more than a broken toy.”

“Don't call coach Nekomaru junk!” Akane was close to crying, yet she tried so hard to not let a single tear fall as Gundham badmouthed Nekomaru like it was nothing.

However Kazuichi couldn't help his mocking laugh. “Oh my god, do ya still think this thing was Nekomaru?” Now he was close to tears, because it was just too ridiculous how stupid they all were.

Instantly all colour left Akane's face, and all the other's looked just as horrified. “What?” her voice was suddenly weak and had lost all its prior power as realisation hit her with full force.

Their expressions were priceless and Kazuichi wanted nothing more than to make them feel even more despair, so he happily explained. “Nekomaru was already long dead at that point. Or did you really think that he would survive being shot by a fucking bazooka?" Ever since Mechamaru turned up, Kazuichi had to try so hard to not laugh at all of his classmates so easily believing that it was him, “I was already surprised that Gundham and I were able to patch Fuyuhiko up again after he decided to play pincushion together with Peko.”

“You little fucker, I will kill you!” Fuyuhiko shouted with rage.

It seemed like Kazuichi had hit a sore spot with his comment. Not that he cared. “Oh just shut up for once, geez.” Ignoring the raging midget, Kazuichi instead kept on explaining everything about Mechamaru, “Anyway since we wanted the game to stay fair, since he didn't break a rule unlike Akane, I build this robot and used the same IA we used for Monokuma. I never even thought that you would even believe this shit, but you all did. It was hilarious.”

For the first time since Gundham walked up, Monokuma's AI then said something. However his voice wasn't the same playful and toy-like voice they were used to, but the deep and mechanical one that Mechamaru had possessed, “Gahahaha! That's right! I've never been resurrected or any of that SHIIIIT!” Everyone just froze at hearing the familiar, yet devastating voice of their dead 'friend'.

To get the conversation going again, Gundham then continued the explanation, “However as we wished to dispose of this junk again and all of you had been so willing to starve within that cursed building, we have decided to change our plan and I have taken on the role of a blackened and give me the opportunity to control the games from the deepest shadows. So now that we have been distracted enough, let us continue this trial before I fall bored from all of you foolish mortal.”

 

Despite being given an order by Gundham, one of these idiots still decided to keep them all distracted and Kazuichi felt like puking at hearing Sonia's whining voice, “I do not understand anything. Why are you doing all of this? I believed that we were friends Gundham and why did you and Kazuichi kiss? I thought he had a crush on me, so why all of this suddenly?”

Kazuichi wasn't sure if Sonia was just simply confused about the rivals making out and actually being in a relationship or she was just that full of herself. Whatever it was, he had to laugh at her. “Did ya really think that either Gundham or I actually gave a shit about you? You're not some protagonist of some stupid romcom with a love triangle. We only used you and pretended to like you, so that none of you could catch on that we're dating and working together, and you were so happily playing along like some airhead.” There was no way that Kazuichi wanted anyone else than his master. Not now and not ever.

The truth about how little her 'closest friend', whom she had followed like some pest, and her 'admirer', whom she had found so annoying, had been playing with her feelings like some fiddle to use her as a ruse made her break out in tears and made her look beyond pitiful. “Please tell me this is a lie!” she looked at Gundham in the hope that at least he was still on her side, despite everything.

“It is not.” he said sharply, not sparing her feelings, “I have never cared about you fiend, who had seen nothing more in your so called allies than something that can be used to the advantage of your cursed kingdom. Though even if I had been more than a simple solution to you, to bring in a variety of hellish beasts within your kingdom, I would still not have cared about you. After all, all of you mortals are one and the same.”

At the harsh, yet true words directed at her, more tears began to fall and Sonia fell silent, as the betrayal of her so called friend burned itself deep into her soul and mind.

 

Now that this sorry excuse of a princess finally shut up, Gundham again said, “Now let us continue this trial. You mortals still have to solve many mysteries if you wish to be victorious and defeat me and my dark consort.”

The impatient glare of Gundham was already enough to make them all feel dread, however just to make sure that not someone else again changes the topic, Kazuichi held up a small remote. “I would listen to him or I will just shoot you instead of waiting for the final punishment.” Not that he would actually go and shoot them all, because he really wanted to see his final execution machine work since it was a true masterpiece. However a little lie didn't harm anyone if it got things going again.

“But we already know that it was you fuckers, so what else are we supposed to find out?” Fuyuhiko furrowed his brows, his voice shaking with anger.

“Yeah!” Akane agreed with him, “We know it was you two, so we already won!”

Kazuichi could hardly believe how stupid they all were sometimes. “You didn't win yet. You still need to find out why the Future Foundation brought us all here in the first place and what exactly you all forgot before coming here.” His finger ran over one of the buttons of his remote, “Now do as Gundham told ya and get going.”

 

***

 

Not having any choice in that, at least if they valued their useless lives, the students then continued their discussion. This time they tried to stay within one topic at a time. However they struggled getting all the clues together just as before, now that they didn't have Nagito or Chiaki to guide them – mainly Hajime – into the correct direction like before.

Yet despite Kazuichi first judgement, they were able to solve one mystery after the other. They had been able to find out that the survivors of the first killing game did in fact put them on this island, while the Future Foundation was out on the hunt for them all, that the whole killing game had been broadcast to the Future Foundation, that Gundham and Kazuichi had been given the orders by someone else and only were in the roles of executor, and Hajime was even able to find out why they were on this island – or better Izuru was able to figure out that he was the one who had the idea and gave the couple the order to organise everything for them all, so that he could experience the fight between hope and despair first hand.

 

However now that they have found out the truth, they all wished that they never did. The despair in their dead eyes was one of the most beautiful things Kazuichi has ever seen and it was all thanks to him and Gundham.

“This has to be a lie!” Sonia cried out, not wanting to believe anything that she and her classmates had concluded together, even if all the evidence was in front of her face. Not that the others were any better at finding out that they themselves were Remnants of Despair, just like the couple was, and had destroyed the world and killed all their families and friends, leaving nothing but ruin and despair.

“Well it is the truth.” Kazuichi replied, mocking her and just loving how everyone was loosing themselves in their despair. “I would say ask the Future Foundation if all of you really are relentless mass murders, however they would shoot you before ya could even say the first word. And not to mention that they currently can't get past my weapons.”

Raising his head weakly, even more than when he had been cut open by a bunch of swords, Fuyuhiko looked at the despairs, “What?”

“Ah yeah, ya still don't know.” Kazuichi had nearly forgotten it and pressed a button, making the big television screen light up, showing a bunch of ships miles outside of Jabberwock Island, just floating in the water and all of them carrying the symbol of the Future Foundation. “Since he Future Foundation saw where we are due to the broadcast, they've tried everything to get here to kill us all. However my awesome weapons are keeping them away without any struggle.”

More horror and despair filled the souls of their classmates at seeing their inevitable doom just looming down the horizon.

 

“This is now enough of this waste of a time.” Gundham claimed in all of the attention and Kazuichi couldn't help but admire his master. He always had this way of making everyone around him bow to this every command. “Now that you all have realised the despairing reality that is your miserable lives, you are now free to vote. It now lies within your hands if you wish to end my paramour and me for the sins we have committed and flee from this realm or give into despair once again and stay with us upon this realm. However I do advise you all to keep in mind that it is only the Tamer of Automations' weapons that are keeping the demons known as Future Foundation away from us all and our fall into the deepest pits of hell would give the demons the power to conquer this realm and send you into the same everlasting darkness.”

Even Kazuichi’s blood felt ice cold at hearing the true danger of the choice his classmates were given, “Yes. In the moment where Gundham and I die the weapons will stop working and you're all as good as dead anyway. So go and choose. Either cling to the hope that they might spare you for whatever reason or give into despair and stay with us on this island like nothing is amiss.”

 

The former Remnants of Despair turned silent as the screens on their podiums activated on Kazuichi’s command and they were forced to chose between either hope or despair.

Neither Kazuichi nor Gundham really cared what the others would choose, as they were both content as long as they were together until they found their painful end, either growing old on this godforsaken island or by dying by the hands of their friends. Either way the despair they would experience would be true bliss. Lifting his lover's face, Gundham gently kissed Kazuichi, as the final vote was cast that sealed all their fates.

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously, I wish I went with my other mastermind AU, since it has Soudam more in the centre and has the more despairing end. However I have no beginning for it  
> I might do the other version later as well, depending if people are interested and I find a good beginning
> 
> Anyway I will leave it to your imagination if Kazuichi and Gundham died in this AU or not


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